Shang Tsung is an unknown being that has unknown origins. As he ages, he realizes that his power comes from the very souls of beings, he must consume souls of his defeated rivals in order to maintain his youth, strength, power and health. He fought in many Mortal Kombat tournaments, but was eventually expelled by the Elder Gods for his brutal methods of defeating opponents. But the Emperor of Outworld Shao Kahn would over-rule the potential execution of Shang Tsung, so Shang Tsung in turn grants his servitude to the Emperor, and Shao Kahn even trained the scorcerer in the black arts. When Shang Tsung returned to the tournament, he defeated opponents and consumed their souls, he would eventually become "Champion of Mortal Kombat", but he would eventually lose the title to the Shaolin Monk Kung Lao. Then, Shang Tsung has turned into an old man and unable to compete in the tournament but with the help from Shao Kahn, he ousted the gramdmasters of the tournament and eventually became the only grandmaster of Mortal Kombat, with him being grand master, the tournament disolved into chaos where the warriors not only compete against each other, but the victor must eliminate their defeated opponents. When he oversaw his first Mortal Kombat tournament when it was against Outworld and Earthrealm. He witnessed the fight against Kung Lao and his advisor, a Shokan named Goro. Though, Kung Lao had Goro pinned down, but Goro gained the upper hand and defeated the Shaolin Monk, Shang Tsung went on to consume Kung Lao's soul. Since then, Outworld went on to win 9 Mortal Kombat tournaments in a row, it seemed that Outworld was about to acheive its ultimate goal, conquer all of the realms. But, they would face a brand new generation of warriors from Earthrealm.

As the 10th Mortal Kombat tournament began, a new generation of warriors were invited to compete in the tournament, with Goro as champion and remained undefeated in 9 straight tournaments, Shang Tsung was sure that he will acheive his goal for Shao Kahn. But his overconfidence would be his major weakness, as he would never expect the decendant of Kung Lao named Liu Kang would be victorious over Goro, as Liu Kang defeats Goro, Shang Tsung with great anger fights the Shaolin Monk, but he would fall victim to the determination of Liu Kang. After his defeat to Liu Kang, Shang Tsung goes back to Outworld and told Shao Kahn of his dilemma. Though, he was to be executed by Shao Kahn but Shang Tsung negotiated with the Emperor to let him live as he had a plan to draw the Earthrealm warriors to Outworld and challenge them in Mortal Kombat and elminate them in one stroke. With that Shao Kahn grants him back his youth and spares his life. With this Shang Tsung begins to put his plan in motion.

Several months have passed since the tournament, and Shang Tsung was to face execution for failing to take Earthrealm through Mortal Kombat and Goro's apparent death by the Earthrealm warriors. He plans to draw the Earthrealm warriors to Outworld and eliminate them altogether with the aid of Shao Kahn. Shang Tsung invades Earthrealm with Shao Kahn's Tarkatan horde and attacked many locales in Earthrealm, making the Earthrealm warriors venture to Outworld, but again Shang Tsung underestimate the determination of these warriors (including Liu Kang). Though, Shang Tsung would fight Liu Kang once again, and despite Shang Tsung's recent re-gained youth and power, was again defeated by Liu Kang, who went on to defeat another Shokan named Kintaro and eventually Shao Kahn himself. But Shang Tsung and Shao Kahn were far from finished, they will break the Elder Gods' sacred rules of Mortal Kombat and invade Earthrealm.

Several weeks after Shang Tsung's failed attempt of eliminating the Earthrealm warriors in Outworld, he works with Shang Tsung to break the sacred rules of Mortal Kombat. He does this by reviving the former Queen of Edenia, Sindel, so Shang Tsung leads Shao Kahn's shadow preists to Sindel's grave and desecrate it. With Sindel revived, Shao Kahn was able to cross the portals leading to Earthrealm. With it, Shao Kahn begins merging Earthrealm with Outworld, as the merging began, all of Earthrealm's inhabitants were being consumed by Shao Kahn's magic, as their souls were taken by not only the emperor, but Shang Tsung as well. But what they did not expect that not all of the humans were effected by Shao Kahn's merging of Earthrelm, it's warriors were chosen to represent Earthrealm to defend it from the forces of Outworld, and they did as they defeated Shao Kahn's forces and eventually Kahn himself. But Shang Tsung would be forever bonded by the Elder Gods for his treachery and breaking the rules of Mortal Kombat.

As Shang Tsung was brooding in the depths of the Netherrealm, he was freed by another scorcerer named Quan Chi, together they formed a "Deadly Alliance", as they plan on reviving Onaga's "Invincible Army". They allied (falsely) with Shao Kahn, as Outworld was about to conquer another realm, they showed their true intentions and eventually eliminated Shao Kahn's forces as well as Kahn himself. Then, they ventured to Earthrealm, Shang Tsung would like to consume the souls of the warriors who denied him victory in the past, especially Liu Kang the Earthrealm warrior clearly responsible for Shang Tsung's failiures. Shang Tsung assumes the form of Kung Lao and surprises Liu Kang from behind, but was pinned down by the Shaolin Monk but Quan Chi surprised Liu Kang from behind by a green skull attack, allowing Shang Tsung to finally eliminate Liu Kang by breaking his neck and consuming his soul. With Liu Kang dead, very little stood in their way to acheive their goal. As both Shang Tsung and Quan Chi fight and eliminate the Earthrealm warriors, they also fight Raiden who is the last hope for Earthrealm, but were able to defeat him.

As both Shang Tsung and Quan Chi defeat the Earthrealm warriors and eventually Raiden, instead of victory they began to fight each other for absolute power. As Onaga was revived, they began to fight against Onaga, then Raiden revives and joins Shang Tsung and Quan Chi to stop Onaga and uses all of his power to sacrifice himself to destroy Onaga. But his explosion just eliminated Shang Tsung and Quan Chi. Then all of the souls of the defeated warriors were released, most of them were re-animated by Onaga to do his own bidding (with the exception of Liu Kang).

Shang Tsung was brought back by the powers of the Elder Gods and even defeated many warriors to try and reach the top of the Pyramid of Argus, as he defeats Shao kahn, he meets up with Liu Kang's body as he fought the body, he knocks the body down, but as soon as he reaches the top, he was stopped by Liu Kang's body. Eventually, the son of Edenia's Elder god named Taven defeated Blaze and gained god-like powers.

With Shao Kahn banished to the Outworld and the potential invasion of Earthrealm by Outworld all but over, Shang Tsung secretly opened a portal to Earthrealm in hopes of acting revenge on Liu Kang. He eliminates Liu Kang's masters as Liu Kang ventures to discover the disappearence of his White Lotus members. As Liu Kang returns to the Wu-Shi Acadamy with The Flash, Shang Tsung appears and fights Liu Kang, but loses. After his loss, Shang Tsung returns to the Netherrealm and discovers that the realms are merging altogether with an entirely different universe as his island was merging with Wonder Woman's island of Themyscira, he loses to the Queen of Adventure and flees to his island. Then as Scorpion finds Kitana in Metroplois, they see Captain Marvel who is trying to find, Superman. Quan Chi orders Shang Tsung and Scorpion to drain Captain Marvel's powers. As Scorpion draws Captain Marvel into the Netherrealm, Shang Tsung challenges Captain Marvel to Mortal Kombat. Captain Marvel defeats Scorpion and Baraka, and Shang Tsung faces the super hero himself, but he as well loses, and grants Captain Marvel's request to return to Metroplois. He then teams up with his rival Liu Kang, and together they head to the Fortress of Solitude where they meet Superman and the Green Lantern. Shang Tsung fights and defeats Superman and Liu Kang defeats the Green Lantern. Then, Shang Tsung agigtates Liu Kang who is consumed by the Kombat Rage and fights with the Shaolin Monk, but he would defeat Liu Kang this time and as he was about to eliminate Liu Kang the Green Lantern would be revived and knocks out Liu Kang, then Shang Tsung fights and defeats the Green Lantern protecting, his rival (which is something he does not enjoy doing). As they return to Raiden's sky temple, they meet up with the rest of the warriors, Kano is then consumed by the Kombat Rage and fights Shang Tsung, but Shang Tsung would defeat the criminal. As they came to their senses, they head to Outworld, which is being torn apart from the 2 universes merging. As they meet the DC super heroes and villians, they are all consumed by the Kombat Rage thanks to a being named Dark Kahn, Shang Tsung defeated most fo the DC Universe heroes and villians, and as he sees Dark Kahn escaping to the merging palaces, he tells Raiden about Dark Kahn's fleeing, but Raiden believes that Shang Tsung is leading Raiden's warriors into a trap, and fights Shang Tsung, who loses, and Liu Kang tries to defends Shang Tsung from Raiden who is consumed by the Kombat Rage and was about to kill Shang Tsung, but Liu Kang was also defeated by Raiden, and as Raiden was about to kill Liu Kang, the Rage disapated in Raiden who went on to defeat Dark Kahn, and as Dark kahn was defeated, the 2 universes separated and Darkseid punished by the Elder Gods, Shang Tsung would venture back to the Outworld, him returning to Earthrealm remains a mystery.

As Raiden time warps himself back to the 10th generation tournament, Shang Tsung sponsors the tournament. He surprises Johnny Cage and tells him that it's his time to fight. Shang Tsung has Cage fight Reptile, and then Baraka. As he sees Cage defeat Baraka, he tells him to "Finish" Baraka, but Cage refuses. Shang Tsung then says that the tournament would resume the next morning. Then, as Sonya makes her way to Goro's lair to rescue Jax, Shang Tsung encounters her and Sonya tries to fight him but she was stopped by Raiden who decrees that she can not fight against Shang Tsung. The next day, Shang Tsung has Cyrax fight Cage, the Lin Kuei assassin defeats Cage, and even has Cyrax fight Kung Lao and Nightwolf, eventhough he defeats them, Cyrax refuses to kill them. In his throne room, Shang Tsung has Shaolin Monk Liu Kang fight against Ermac who Liu Kang defeats, Shang Tsung the has Liu Kang fight both Scorpion and Quan Chi, as he watches Liu Kang defeat both fighters, he is impressed that Liu Kang has progressed this far and gives him the right to fight against Goro. However, Shang Tsung was quite surprised to see Liu Kang come back from Goro's lair and successful at defeating the Shokan, remaining true to his word (fighting the victor over Goro) he acepts Liu Kang's challenge. But Shang Tsung would lose to the Shaolin Monk and would return to Outworld with his tail in between his legs. When Shang Tsung returns to Shao Kahn, his execution was ordered but Shang Tsung told Kahn that the rules of Mortal Kombat could be changed and has Kahn set up his own tournament in Outworld, with it Shang Tsung's youth was returned and his life was spared. Shang Tsung ventures to the Wu-Shi Acadamy where he encounters Raiden and asks him that if he and his Earthrealm warriors would compete in Kahn's tournament, Raiden at first refuses, but Shang Tsung had a way to convince him and Earthrealm warriors to compete by sending a Tarkatan horde into the acadamy and attacked. As the Earthrealm warriors tend to the dead and wounded, Raiden along with Cage and Jax ventured to Outworld. There, Shang Tsung and Kahn had their warriors waiting to compete in Kahn's tournament. But as Kahn had other matters to attend, the tournament was put on hold. Shang Tsung then met up with Kano who introduced Shang Tsung to the weapons of Earthrealm, but they were discovered by Smoke, as Smoke fought and defeated Kano, Shang Tsung tried to trick Smoke by posing as Sub-Zero (Kuai Liang), but then fought the Lin Kuei assassin, but would lose. Shang Tsung ventured into his own "flesh pits" to attend to his own creations. Then as he sees Kitana in the pits and defeated Mileena, he fghts Kitana and loses to her and is brought back to Kahn. Kitana told Kahn of Shang Tsung's deed, but instead of punishing Shang Tsung, he was congradulated by Kahn and ordered Kitana's execution as she was brought to Kahn's fighting arena. Shang Tsung watches Sub-Zero fight both Reptile and Scorpion. Then, as Liu Kang and Kung Lao arrive, Liu kang makes an attempt to rescue Kitana and Kung Lao was told to fight aginst both Shang Tsung and Quan Chi, they would both lose to Kung Lao. As Kahn would evetually lose to Liu Kang, Kahn was revived by Quan Chi. Kahn and his warriors now wonder how to take Earthrealm, Quan Chi suggests invasion this would only be done by the revival of Kahn's one time queen Sindel who Shang Tsung and Quan Chi revived in a desert in Earthrealm, with Sindel revived Earthrealm was attacked. But with the Earthrealm warriors causing problems, Kahn had consumed Shang Tsung and transfered his powers to Sindel which made her powerful (powerful enough to eliminate most of the Earthrealm warriors). Then Raiden defeats Kahn with the aid of the Elder Gods and prepairs to revive Liu Kang as well as Earthrealm. But, what they may soon realize that Quan Chi is far from finished.